Heart's Mysteries
by Lady Laran
Summary: When her father had passed, Wilhelmina Watson had reached out to her cousin, John Watson, for help as she had to sell her home to cover the medical bills. Thanks to his work and Mrs. Hudson, she is now living in 221C. John notices that his cousin, nicknamed Bilbo, is not the bubbly character she usually is. Her past emerges as one seeks Sherlock's help.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note – I got bit with this other night, and the wombat is not wanting to let go. It's very much not quite my normal style, and I see it as a challenge. We shall see how it turns out. I'm doing this for FemBagginshield Week on Tumblr. This will be slow on updates as I've got other projects to focus on, but I will keep the updates going as I can.

Warnings – Crossover, gender-bending, alternate universe for both Hobbit and Sherlock, and reincarnation.

Disclaimer – I do not own "the Hobbit" or "Sherlock." I don't make money from this either.

Chapter One – Homecoming

"Is that everything?"

John's cousin looked up from where she had been stacking boxes and gave him a tired smile and nod.

"It is," she answered, stretching and wincing when she felt her spine pop. "I'm glad your landlady was willing to get the flat lined out for me so quickly."

"When she heard of the problem, she was happy to help. Mrs. Hudson is a gem," the former soldier told her. "Why don't we pop up to my flat, have some tea, and call for a take-away? We're both knackered, and you probably forgot to eat again."

She blushed, a delicate shade of pink rising in her cheeks, and he gently guided her out of the flat and up the stairs to 221B.

"I got busy," she admitted. "Having to pack up the house, transfer services, and ensuring my clients knew I would be unavailable for a few days kept me rather occupied."

"It used to be that auntie never had to worry about your appetite," he said, looking worried. "University certainly left changes on you, Bilbo, and it seems to have gotten worse while I was away."

"Growing up usually does," Bilbo answered, looking down for a moment before following him into his flat.

"John, I asked you for the laptop ages ago," a man stated from his reclined position on the sofa.

"I haven't been home all day, Sherlock," John sighed, shaking his head. "I told you several days ago that I'd be helping my cousin move today. I even reminded you this morning before I left."

"Did you," he asked, sitting up as he heard an unexpected voice ask a question.

"Is he always like this," Bilbo asked her cousin.

"I'm afraid so," the doctor answered, giving a smile when he heard her giggle.

Sherlock rose to his feet, eyeing the woman standing beside his flatmate. She was slightly shorter than John but had the same blue eyes and shared similar facial features. She was also blond, wearing it long to where it fell to her shoulder blades, and it was curly where her cousin's was straight. The woman had pale skin, near porcelain, and he knew it would not take a tan like John's was able to.

After picking up the noticeable physical similarities, Sherlock began truly observing. He could tell she enjoyed tea, spotted the ink on her fingers from books, and noticed many other facts about the small female.

"Sherlock, this is my cousin, Wilhelmina Watson. Bilbo, this is my flatmate and friend, Sherlock Holmes."

The introduction pulled him away from his observations, and he gave a nod as she addressed him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Holmes. John has spoken a great deal about you," she said with a gentle smile that reminded him a great deal of his flatmate's smile.

"Sherlock, please," he answered. "I take it you've taken Mrs. Hudson's spare flat?"

"I have," she replied. "She was kind enough to have it repaired for my use when John mentioned I needed a place to live."

"We're about to call for take-away," John said, guiding his cousin to the chair he usually sat on when in the living room. "Anything you want?"

"Indian?"

When she nodded at the questioning look from her cousin, the doctor nodded as well.

"Sounds good," he said. "Your usual?"

"Hmm, yes and extra naan," the consulting detective stated, sinking back down onto the sofa.

"Bilbo?"

"Butter chicken, please," she asked. "Let me go get my wallet."

"You can get it next time," John said, waving off the concerned look.

"If you're sure," Bilbo murmured, knowing John was under financial difficulties due to having to leave the military as he had as well as the restrictions he'd been under that hadn't allowed him to start working once he'd left hospital.

"I am," he said, patting her shoulder before going to get the take-away menu from the drawer he and Sherlock kept them in.

Once alone, she became aware of the intense stare on her and met the heterochromatic gaze fearlessly. Bilbo had become used to stares like this over the years and had learned to meet them without showing weakness.

"John's spoken quite a bit about you," she said to him.

"Has he?"

"Yes, he has," she answered with a nod. "I was rather worried about him after he was invalided out of the military; he enjoyed working with RAMC and to lose it as well as his ability to practice surgery had him in a tailspin. Papa and I tried to convince him to come home, but he said he didn't want to be a burden. You helped him find himself again, and I am grateful to you for that."

"I suspect he would have found it eventually; he is brighter than most," Sherlock admitted, watching her as she responded.

"Oh I know he would have," Bilbo agreed. "John is much stronger than he appears, but even the strongest souls need time to recover. He's always been the one we could always rely on to lead us on our adventures as children."

"No, you were the strong one," John answered, stealing Sherlock's usual chair. "No matter what crazy ideas I'd come up with, you were right beside me even when you were frightened by the idea originally."

The detective could see doubt and pain fill the blue eyes that were remarkably like his friend's; he could see the concern on John's face and knew he'd seen it too.

"Not really," she answered, forcing herself to smile. "I just followed along because I wanted to be like my cousins."

"Not how I remember it," the doctor chuckled. "Harry and I were moved into our aunt and uncle's house when we were children after our parents died in a car crash. We weren't taking it well and didn't respond much to anyone. I don't think we'd been there for long before Bilbo came into my room, climbed onto the bed and poked me with a book, demanding I read to her. She wound up hitting me with it when I refused."

"I was three," she protested, blushing when Sherlock laughed at the tale. "All I knew was that Mama and Papa had said I needed to help them smile."

"By hitting me with a book?"

The Union Jack pillow went sailing across the room, hitting the laughing John in the face. The taller male shook his head slightly, realizing that the keen eye and marksmanship was another trait handed down in the Watson family.

To Sherlock's surprise, he rather enjoyed sharing the meal with their guest. Usually, he preferred eating with John whenever he did eat but Wilhelmina Watson was witty and kind, interested in the stories of his old cases and often coming up with comments that showed a very intelligent mind. There was something about her that was familiar in a way, but he was unable to determine what it was.

Once she had departed for the night, carrying her leftovers and biding them both a pleasant evening, the detective turned to find his friend watching him.

"What do you think?"

"She's uncommonly clever," he shared, sipping his drink. "It's obvious she favors you a great deal in appearance and intelligence. I do believe she's gone through something that has marked her deeply. She hides it rather well so I would have to observe her further to try to determine what it is that has had such an effect on her."

"Bilbo isn't as bright as she used to be," John murmured, taking a slow sip of his beer. "She used to be incandescent around people. The recent loss of her dad didn't help, but I noticed it in her letters during my time overseas. She always wrote twice a week, never missing at all, but her letters went from her usual bright tones to something darker. I never could get her to answer me when I asked what was wrong, and she still hasn't spoken of it."

"Has she told anything to your sister?"

"She rarely talks to Harry anymore and avoids her more than I do," he sighed. "Harry went off on her for being selfish when Bilbo started her own business, putting what funds she had into that instead of helping Harry with something she wanted. One of the times Bilbo called me while I was stationed overseas, it'd been after that fight and she'd been incredibly upset. I told her she was doing the right thing since she has a great deal of talent and this business was something she'd been wanting for a long time. So I suggested she ignore Harry whenever possible."

"Your cousin is closer to you than your own sister," Sherlock observed.

"She is," the physician agreed. "I never saw her as a cousin, just another sister. I connected to her fairly quickly when we moved to my aunt and uncle's home; it was like I had known her for years."

"Something familiar even if you don't know what it is exactly," the genius stated.

"Exactly," John exclaimed. "I never questioned it; we just gravitated towards each other. She never let me slip away when I went to university, and she didn't argue with me when I enlisted. Bilbo said I needed to have my adventures and do the right thing. The only thing she asked was that I made sure to take care of myself too while taking care of others."

"Where did the name Bilbo come from," he asked, setting his empty glass down. "I can somewhat understand Bill as a nickname for Wilhelmina but not Bilbo."

"We'd been living at our aunt's for about half a year, and she had been pouting because she didn't like the nickname one of our aunt's family members tried to foist on her. Willy didn't suit, and she hated it with a passion. She was upset, hiding in a corner, so I went after her and tried to cuddle her out of her bad mood. I knew Bill was another nickname for William, which somewhat applied to her name, and for some reason, the name Bilbo slipped out. To this day, I don't know why but it suited her so we kept it."

"It certainly is unusual," Sherlock commented, frowning a bit. "Familiar too but I'm not certain why. It's a not a name I have come across over the years."

"Same," he agreed. "It suited her, and she loved it from the first time I mentioned it. Everyone picked up on it rather quickly, and it was rare to hear her full name while we were growing up."

"I am sure we will discover why it seems so familiar in time," the detective said, still frowning. "As well as why I had a feeling I had met her before when I know I have not."

"At least it isn't just me," John sighed. "In the meantime, I'll see what I can do to find out what it is that has my cousin under such a shadow. I'd rather have her back to her usual self; I don't like seeing her like this."

"It will reveal itself in time," Sherlock stated, knowing he would be watching for clues to that as well.

"You won't mind if she spends time up here whenever shes not working?"

"I find her presence similar to yours," he answered. "She's welcome in 221B."

John's smile turned into laughter as his friend continued.

"At least one of us has a family member that's tolerable," the genius grumbled, picking up his mobile and hiding the smile at the laughter that came from his friend.

Author's End Note – I hope you all enjoyed the first installment! Please let me know what you thought of it. I'm not sure what the length of this story will be; it'll be a mystery and romance so it should be fun. See everyone next time! ~ Laran


	2. Disturbing Meetings

Author's Note – It's been a while since I posted this; stress and IRL issues were simply too much for me to try to focus on writing. It sucks because this is my way of destressing and working through issues. Thank you all for being so patient.

Disclaimer – I do not own "Sherlock" or "the Hobbit." I don't make money from this story either. The song used in this chapter belongs to Enya, titled "On Your Shore" from her album titled "Watermark." I don't own it either, but it worked for what I needed in this story.

Chapter Two – Disturbing Meetings

Bilbo had spent the next few days unpacking, hoping to get her flat arranged before she was due to start working again. Fortunately, her clients were understanding of the problem and were willing to wait for their projects to be finished. John came down to help her with the onerous tasks whenever he was free to do so, and she would often hear Sherlock playing at odd hours of the day or night. Oddly enough, hearing the dulcet tones of the violin eased her loneliness when it tried to hit and it wasn't unusual for her to open the door to her flat so she could hear the beautiful songs easier. Her landlady, she noticed, was also in the habit of doing the same thing.

She hadn't been in her flat more than a few days when she had a rather disturbing meeting that was not only unscheduled but also incredibly uncomfortable. Bilbo had come out of her room one morning, heading to the kitchen to make tea when she found a strange man sitting in her living room.

"Good morning," he greeted, blinking when the young woman grabbed an umbrella and shifted into a defensive position. "I am not here to harm you, Miss Watson. I am here to meet you as you are living in close proximity to Sherlock Holmes."

Bilbo tilted her head for a moment, eyeing the man for a long moment as she took in the features of the stranger. The name of her uninvited guest quickly popped up in her memory, and she lowered her umbrella.

"You must be Mycroft Holmes," she stated, catching him by surprise.

"I am," he answered, gesturing for her to take a seat. "I take it John has spoken of me?"

"He mentioned you have a penchant for kidnapping unsuspecting people along with a terminal case of nosiness," the blond woman answered, sitting down with the umbrella within reach. "If I find any of your snooping gadgets here, Mr. Holmes, you will not like the consequences."

"John has already made his own threats regarding security and your privacy," Mycroft said with a slight smile. "The only cameras near your flat watch the doors and windows in order to ensure the safety of the people within this building."

"Please ensure it stays that way," Bilbo requested in a stern tone. "I'm not comfortable having my private life viewed by strangers. So you came by to meet me because I live in the same building as your brother?"

"That is one of the reasons, yes," he answered. "I am also aware of the business you run and would like to become one of your clients."

"According to my cousin, you work for our government," she said softly. "Surely you have other more qualified people for this kind of thing?"

"I do but not with the finesse you possess," he replied. "Most of my staff who is employed for the kind of work you do tend to rush, and I need someone who takes more care."

"I don't travel," Bilbo warned. "I prefer to work from home, and I usually work with clients when they come to London and need me."

"That is exactly what I am in need of," he assured her. "I will not ask for you to travel. What you will be asked to work with will be documents. I've already vetted you and gotten you the security clearance needed for this position."

"It will need to be a legitimate emergency if you need something rushed," she informed him. "I take things in the order they come, and my clients respect that."

Mycroft nodded, accepting that as well. He'd seen examples of her work and knew she was one of the best in her field. The government official knew he was fortunate to have her agree to take him on as a client.

"All right then, Mr. Holmes, you have a deal," Bilbo said. "I have a contract I can email to you that explains my guidelines and fees if you will provide an address I can send it to."

He rose, handing her a card that contained the information she needed.

"I will be looking for it, Miss Watson, and it will be sent to your home via courier once I have an opportunity to look the contract over. I do appreciate your willingness to take me on as a client."

Bilbo accepted the card, watching as the tall man left her flat. She could hear her cousin's voice and sighed, waiting for a few moments before John popped his head in the doorway.

"Everything all right, Bilbo?"

"I think he wanted to get a chance to meet me," she answered. "I'm fine; he just startled me. I wasn't expecting him to be in my flat first thing in the morning."

"He tends to do that," her cousin stated. "The man has an annoying talent for showing up when he isn't wanted or needed."

"That reminds me, thank you for warning him about not putting cameras or audio recorders in here," Bilbo said with a smile. "He assured me the only cameras will be on the doors and windows, nothing inside the flat."

"I had that conversation with him after you made the decision to move here," John answered. "We find cameras and other gadgets of his all over the place in our flat, and I didn't want you having to deal with the same thing. You're entitled to your privacy, and I won't let him violate that if I can help it."

"I imagine he does that to annoy his brother as well as try to show his concern; I do think he could go about it in a better way," she said. "Quick change of topic but have you two eaten breakfast?"

"Not yet, why," he asked, grinning when he heard her answer.

"I thought I'd cook as a thank you for the help," Bilbo told him. "I'm certain your flatmate wouldn't mind a homemade breakfast? I was thinking pancakes and sausages."

"He has a sweet tooth," John admitted with a laugh. "He'll come down for your pancakes; I've been talking about them since you decided to move here."

"Let me get dressed, and I'll get started on it," she promised, heading to her bedroom to do just that.

The physician hurried upstairs to retrieve his flatmate, who had been remarkably interested in eating when he heard that Bilbo was making pancakes for breakfast. John had known he would and just smiled as they headed downstairs.

They arrived in her flat to hear one of Bilbo's favorite channels on Pandora playing, and her soft soprano singing along with a song John recognized.

"Strange how my heart beats to find myself upon your shore. Strange how I still feel my loss of comfort gone before. Cool waves wash over and drift away with dreams of youth. So time is stolen  
I cannot hold you long enough. And so this is where I should be now - days and nights falling by,  
days and nights falling by me. I know of a dream I should be holding - days and nights falling by,  
days and nights falling by me. Soft blue horizons reach far into my childhood days. As you are rising  
to bring me my forgotten ways. Strange how I falter to find I'm standing in deep water. Strange how my heart beats to find I'm standing on your shore."

The physician recognized Enya's lyrics, remembering how Bilbo would often buy any new albums the artist released because she identified with the songs so much. He'd heard her sing Enya's works before, but he could hear a deeper emotion in his cousin's voice. It was something that spoke of heartbreak but not the kind due to loss of family.

Someone had broken his Bilbo's heart, and the thought infuriated him to the point where he wanted to find the sod who had done that and beat them until they understood why they didn't deserve the treasure that was his beloved cousin.

A touch to his shoulder pulled him from his rage, and he swallowed it down when he saw the look on Sherlock's face. His friend had come to the same conclusion, and the detective was concerned because he had seen the murderous expression that had come to his face when he'd realized what had been causing his cousin to lose her light.

John managed to calm himself, pushing the anger down for now, and he shook his head.

"We'll talk later," he said. "I don't want to bring this up in front of her if I can avoid it right now. I need to find a way to open the discussion without bringing her too much pain."

Sherlock nodded, squeezing his shoulder just once before calling out to Bilbo. He was giving John a chance to regain his equilibrium.

"Something smells rather delicious," he said, speaking truthfully since the scents wafting from the kitchen were very enticing.

"Thank you, Sherlock," she called back. "You two have a seat at the table. Tea?"

"Yes please," the detective answered, taking a seat as she had instructed.

Soon, the table held a platter of pancakes, a plate of sausages, and plenty of syrup to satisfy even Sherlock's sweet tooth. Tea was soon poured and doctored, and Bilbo waited until both men had served themselves before doing the same for herself.

After they had been eating for a few moments, she broke her silence, setting her tea cup down.

"I met your brother this morning," Bilbo told Sherlock, who made a face.

"Overbearing, cake eating," he grumbled, voice trailing off for a moment. "I suppose he was trying to get an opinion of the new neighbor?"

"Something like that," she answered. "Fortunately, John had already threatened him if he tried to put any recording equipment in my flat. I have been assured that the only cameras would be outside, focused on the windows and doors in case of someone trying to break in."

"That's a remarkable show of restraint," the curly haired male stated, looking a bit stunned.

"I only threatened to shove his umbrella so far up his arse that it would take a specialized proctologist and plastic surgeon to ensure he could sit down normally," John said with a grim smile.

Both Sherlock and Bilbo stared at him for several moments before both spoke at the same time.

"John Hamish, you didn't!?"

"Truly John? Oh I would have loved to have seen that!"

The physician winced at the use of his middle name; it was rare his cousin used it. He met her eyes, tilting his head just a bit.

"You may be my cousin, Wilhelmina Watson, but you are as dear to me as my own sister, if not more so," he told her. "I won't tolerate your privacy being violated; this is your home, and he damn well better respect it. No one upsets my sisters."

A pleased blush covered her cheeks, and she just smiled at John.

"My brave warrior," she said softly. "You won't always be able to slay the dragons that come my way."

"Doesn't mean I can't try," he answered, giving Sherlock the feeling that the two cousins had shared this particular part of the conversation before.

"I know," Bilbo told him, smile saddening for a moment. "But sometimes, the dragon's armor is just too thick."

"If you can't get through the door, go through the bloody window," the doctor said, making her laugh. "Now, let's enjoy this breakfast and then we can see what needs to be done today to help you finish unpacking."

Just like that, it seemed John had somewhat relaxed after her agreement but Sherlock knew his friend better than that. The smaller male was dealing with coiled anger, and he would have to do something to help him before John exploded in a way that would hurt someone.

Author's End Notes – Ending is a bit darker than I thought it would be, but it seems John's protective mode simply didn't want to be shut down. I'm sorry I had to make you all wait so long, and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you thought. See you next time! ~Laran


	3. Much Needed Discussion

Author's Note – It's been a while since I posted for this story, and I apologize for it. I've had difficulty getting the muses to function for this story, and I was determined not to let it sit for any longer than I had to. I really hope you all enjoy this!

Disclaimer – I do not own "the Hobbit" or "Sherlock," and I definitely don't make money from this story!

Chapter Three – Much Needed Discussions

Once everything was finished at Bilbo's, John and Sherlock headed upstairs for a much needed discussion. The detective suspected his friend needed a chance to explode, and he was right. As soon as the door to their flat closed, the shorter male began snarling curses in English and another tongue that Sherlock didn't recognize right then.

The curly haired male took a seat, watching the doctor as he vented, throwing pillows while giving curses that were becoming more and more creative as time went by. Given how deep John's attachment to his cousin was, it took a considerable amount of time before the other calmed down enough to have a discussion about the discovery made earlier that morning.

"Tell me," Sherlock ordered softly when the doctor sank into his usual chair, looking worn out.

John drew in a deep breath, staring at the Union Jack pillow that usually sat on his chair. It was on the sofa where he had thrown it a short while ago, but he didn't have the energy to retrieve right just then.

"Bilbo discovered her sexuality when she was in her mid-teens," he said quietly. "She was cute, still growing and had yet to loose her baby fat. She didn't blossom into where she is now until her first year of university so you can imagine what her classmates were like since she didn't quite fit into their idea of beauty. Add in the fact that she had quietly come out as a lesbian, her life was pretty much hell in her final years of school."

Sherlock nodded; he'd faced a lot of bullying in primary school even though he'd been sent to a public school instead of the local one. His intelligence, unusual looks, and inability to socialize properly had set him apart so he could easily understand what John's cousin had faced. Children were incredibly cruel at times.

"Despite all of that, she never lost that inner brilliance that made all of us so happy," the doctor continued. "I don't think she dated until university, which was wise considering her classmates in primary school were blind, arrogant fools. Her letters spoke of several friends, never naming them, but I could tell she was drawn to one in particular. Eventually, she stopped speaking of her and went on to talk about other things."

"You think this friend may have been the one to hurt her so badly," the detective asked, putting everything together in his mind.

"It's possible," John admitted. "I know the pair had been strong friends for several years during her time in university. I wanted to meet her during my leaves, but it never worked out. Bilbo never gave me a name, and I never pushed her because I wanted her to have the chance for this adventure in love without me being all 'big brother.' I know she appreciated it, but it was frustrating once her letters lost the glow that she usually wrote with.

"I just wish I knew who to blame for this," he said, rubbing a hand over his face. "She used to call me her dragon slayer, and now I can't slay this dragon who has been paining her for this long. It's killing me inside to see her like this."

"I could see if Mycroft could find out," Sherlock offered, not surprised when his friend shook his head.

"Bilbo would never forgive me for prying," he answered with a sigh. "Add to that, I would be labeled as a complete nutter for stalking a woman who had broken my cousin's heart. Knowing my temper, I'd probably be arrested because I tried to avenge Bilbo's pain."

"Some families have done stranger things," he said with a small smirk.

"True," John admitted. "But I'd rather not have her angry with me. So I'll have to do my best to hide how I feel whenever I see signs of her suffering like this. She's not healed from this heartbreak, and I'm at a loss as to how to help her."

"Even the most talented of surgeons have been stymied by the physical effects of emotional loss," Sherlock reminded him. "I believe that you should simply be her big brother and cousin, and that will make a considerable difference for her."

"I know," he answered with a tired sigh. "But there's still the part that wants to rage and rip apart anyone who even looks at her wrong."

"I believe you will have that opportunity in time, John," the detective said to him, still smirking. "She is a lovely young woman, and I know she will be asked out in time. Once she is ready, you can keep an eye on her and ensure she is not put into such pain again."

John, who was about to get up to make a cup of tea, looked at his friend with a wry expression on his face.

"Are you suggesting I pull a Mycroft and spy on her during dates?"

"No but you live with a consulting detective who has quite a few resources," Sherlock pointed out. "As boring as I find relationship drama, I would ensure your mind is at ease whenever Bilbo is ready to begin dating once more."

That surprised John more than anything; he'd heard a variation of rants and scathing retorts about cases presented to him involving fact finding regarding a potential lover. Sherlock hated those kinds of cases and often sent the prospective client away with a diatribe of scornful words that had to still be ringing in their ears.

"You would do this for her?"

"For my friend," Sherlock corrected him, not breaking eye contact with the other man. "I would do this to ensure you have peace of mind, John."

For a moment, John lost all train of thought as Sherlock had completely surprised him by his offer and the words he'd been given in answer. So many people had warned him about the detective, calling him a psychopath and a freak, and his friend had even diagnosed himself as a sociopath. However, the doctor knew better.

Sherlock had hidden depths that he rarely showed anyone, and John treasured each moment where he was shown those amazing depths. He wished he could show everyone that they were wrong about his friend, but he kept these times hidden in his mind and heart to treasure as a dragon does its hoard.

"Sherlock, thank you," he said softly.

The detective waved the gratitude off, knowing that his friend was touched by his offer. John was the only one he would do this for, and he knew that the other was incredibly worried about his cousin. If he could help alleviate those worries, then he would consider it well worth the boredom that would come in regards to finding out about anyone Bilbo was interested in from this point out.

His thoughts wandered a bit after John went into the kitchen to make tea. A part of him was curious as to who the person was that had brought about so many personality changes in Wilhelmina Watson. He wouldn't chase after it, at least not yet. Since his friend was adamant about respecting his cousin's privacy, he would honor that for the time being.

Sherlock leaned back in his chair, watching his friend as his mind spun in various different directions. He knew life would be interesting after he met John, and it seemed that life would be even more so now that Bilbo was part of the group. He had a feeling her influence would be a good one on both of them, and he was curious to see just how much of an effect she would have on their daily lives as well as their professional ones.

From what he understood, Bilbo was a translator and a very good one at that. Mycroft would not hire her unless she was the best of her field. While both brothers spoke multiple languages, there were times when they just didn't have the time to learn others. Depending on which ones she spoke, she might be of use to Sherlock for cases. He knew he would need to question her regarding how many and which ones she was fluent in.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a mug of tea was passed to him by his friend, and Sherlock knew it was brewed perfectly and fixed just the way he took it. He gave John a nod of thanks, taking a slow sip to keep from burning his tongue.

"So I had a thought," John said after taking a few sips of his own tea. "With her taking Mycroft on as a client, does this mean she may be put at risk due to his work?"

"No," Sherlock said. "I sincerely doubt she'll do more than translate documents for him and if there is a need for her services at a function, I know he will do his utmost to keep her safe. We will do the same for her here."

"She did offer to help if we needed any translating on cases," the physician said, taking another sip of his tea. "I've mentioned before your work can get into the unusual, and she told me that she'd help if we needed it."

"Do you know how many languages she speaks," he asked, curious.

"I've lost track," John admitted with a rueful smile. "She was very young when my aunt and uncle realized she was a genius when it came to languages. I know she is known as a hyper-polyglot and was dubbed that by the time she was a teenager. Her focus in university was in languages, and the idea for her business hit her while she was studying. Several of her language professors sent business her way, and then she went professional after she graduated. My aunt and uncle were both proud and a bit frightened of her at times."

"She learns quickly?"

"Frighteningly fast," he said, setting his mug down. "Although, I did some research while in medical school and found that there are others like her out there who can become fluent after a very short period of time. When I showed it to them, it helped them to understand Bilbo quite a bit more."

"Did it make things easier between them," Sherlock asked, setting his empty mug down.

"It did," John said, giving a lighter smile. "She called me and thanked me for it because her parents had a long chat with her after. They worked everything out, and they went from supportive to incredibly supportive. They did everything they financially could to help her learn as many languages as she wanted. The only thing they couldn't give her was a chance to immerse herself in the societies as she learned the languages. They were never very well off, and they were helping Harry and I with university fees."

"It's good that you were able to help them bridge the gap," he told his friend. "While my parents are intelligent, they had difficulties in trying to be the parents they wanted to be when it came to myself and Mycroft."

"I couldn't imagine it," John admitted. "My sister and I are intelligent people, but we're nowhere near close to what Bilbo can do with languages or you and Mycroft are for just about anything."

"You don't seem to have difficulty where I'm concerned," Sherlock stated, watching his friend blush a bit.

"Well, we have some common ground and you're easier to talk to than most people believe," he said in a firm voice. "It doesn't hurt you're willing to explain things when I need you to."

"Mostly because I know you're listening and trying to understand," the taller male answered. "It's nowhere near frustrating when I slow down and explain things again for you as it is Lestrade or his idiot brigade."

"Lestrade tries, but he does have too many distractions going on around him while the case is being investigated. I have the luxury of being able to focus solely on you when your deductions need to be explained," John shared. "Lestrade has called me your translator before."

"You do a good job of it," Sherlock complimented him. "I am looking forward to more cases with you since you help me slow down and see things a bit differently."

"We'll see how it goes now that we have the language support from Bilbo," he agreed. "The case with the pink lady was interesting, and I'm definitely looking forward to working more with you on other cases."

Sherlock just smirked again, but John could see that it was closer to a smile than anything else. The doctor was reminded again just how lucky he was to find a friend in the crazy man who had offered a total stranger to share a flat with him.

Author's End Note – We get a bit more John and Sherlock bonding time! This is early in their friendship; this story starts between "A Study in Pink" and "The Blind Banker." I wanted a chance to see their relationship grow while Bilbo finds her path in 221 Baker Street. I hope everyone enjoyed it; please let me know what you thought of this chapter. See you all next time! ~ Laran


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